Improvement in railroad-switch es



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. H. THOMPSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,22, dated February ll, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. H. THOMPSON, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad Safety Signal- Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are front views, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views of the under side.

Like letters refer to like parts.

The nature of my invention relates to a stand placed over the switch-bar, from which stand rises a signal-post which rotates by means of a slotted arm operated by apin projecting from a stud on the switch-bar; also, to the arrangement of the signals upon the signal-post, whether for day or night service, so that the track upon which the train will run will be indicated with the utmost certainty.

A in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 represents the stand. This is made of cast-iron of any convenient form, and is bolted firmly to a foundation of stone or timber.

B is the switch-bar, the outer end of which passes beneath the stand A, where it is attached to the shifting-lever O by a hinge or pin joint. The fulcrum of the lever O is seen at D, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, which fulcrum forms a part of the stand A.

E is an arched brace which rises from opposite sides, laterally, of the stand A and which serves the purpose of a fixture, to which the shifting-lever C is secured for any particular track by a bolt passing through the arch E and shifting-lever (l, as indicated at F G H in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.-

I is the signal-post,which rises from the center of the stand A, the collar K resting upon the apex A. v The post I is secured in its upright position by a collar (seen in section at L in Fig. 2) which is attached to one side of the arched brace E. From the collar K the post extends downward to the switchbar B, and to the lower end is secured the cam or slotted arm M, Figs. 5 and 6, and is in Fig. 5 shown in an enlarged section at M.

Upon the side of the switch-bar B is a stud N, provided with a pin which enters the slot in the arm M, and thus when the switch-bar Bis moved in either direction the post I is rotated upon its axis from zero to one hundred and thirty-five degrees.

Near the top of the signal-post I are placed the day-signals O P, that represented at 0 being red and that at P being white on both sides. The top of the signal-postv is surmounted by a lantern Q, two opposite sides being set with red glass and the other opposite sides with green glass.

When the shifting-bar O is set at F, as seen in Fig. 2, the main track R R joins the switch S S, and the red signal 0 and the red light 0 are shown in approaching the switch in either direction, the position of the arm M being shown at F in Fig. 5. When the shiftingbar 0 is set at G, as seen in Fig. 3, the main track R R joins the main track R R, as seen in Fig. 1, and the white signal P and green light P are shown, as in Fig. 3, in approach ing the switch in either direction, the position of the arm M being shown at G in Fig. 5. When the shiftingbar C is set at H, as in Fig. 4, the main track R R joins the side track T T and the arm M is in the position seen at H in Fig. 5, and both the white and red day-signals and red and green night-signals are shown as in Fig. 4.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is a The stand A, signal-post I, slotted arm M, placed beneath the base'A, and stud N upon the switch-bar B, when these several parts are arranged, constructed, and operated as and for the purpose set forth.

W. H. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

J. BRAINERD, S. H. MATHER. 

